Loudspeaker enclosure

ABSTRACT

Enclosure and mounting for a loudspeaker is combined with enclosure and mounting for a printed circuit board associated with the loudspeaker. Mounting means for both the loudspeaker and printed circuit board are resilient. All parts of the combination enclosure and the mounting means interact in such fashion that the device is devoid of fasteners such as screws, rivets, adhesive or the like.

United States Patent [191 Wieder LOUDSPEAKER ENCLOSURE [76] Inventor: Horst K. Wieder, 211 Lowell St.,

Watertown, Wis. 53094 [221/ Filed: July 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 377,761

[52] US. Cl 179/1 E, 181/31 B [51] Int. Cl jlllir 1 g8 [58] Field of Search 179/1 E, 111 R; 181/31 B,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,300,585 1/1967 Reedyk et al. 179/111 R 3,632,903 l/1972 Lange, Jr. 179/111 R [11] 3,835,256 [451 Sept. 10,1974

Primary Examiner-Kathleen l-l. Claffy Assistant ExaminerTommy P. Chin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John M. Diehl [57] ABSTRACT Enclosure and mounting for a loudspeaker is combined with enclosure and mounting for a printed circuit board associated with the loudspeaker. Mounting means for both the loudspeaker and printed circuit board are resilient. All parts of the combination enclosure and the mounting means interact in such fashion that the device is devoid of fasteners such as screws, rivets, adhesive or the like.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIED SEP] 0 m4 sum 2 nr' 2 1 LOUDSPEAKER ENCLOSURE CROSS-REFERENCES None. I

FIELD PRIOR ART The device of the invention incorporates a rearwardly directed speaker, the audible output of which impinges on a conical member whereby the output is directed forwardly. Such a reverse horn or folded horn arrangement is well known and is not considered a novel portion of the invention.

Resilient mounting of a speaker has been accomplished heretofore but not in the manner or in the combination described in connection with the device of the invention and it is believed that incorporation'of the printed circuit board in conjunction with the speaker mounted in the manner described is altogether devoid of suggestion in prior art. Likewise no disclosure of a loudspeaker enclosure has been found'which is similar or which in any way discloses provision of such an enclosure alone or in combination with a printed circuit board assembly which is devoid of fasteners in the manner of the presently disclosed device.

SUMMARY Combination speaker and printed circuit board assembly is provided which apart from the speaker itself, the printed circuit board and the associated wiring and mounting means for said portions comprises only three parts. These parts are made of slightly resilient plastic and are snapped together. Sealant may be provided at the joints and at openings through which wires pass. Thus is provided a highly weather resistant, highly abuse-resistant enclosure for the speaker and printed circuit board. The loudspeaker itself and the printed circuit boardare held in place within the enclosure by resilient pads of foamed polymeric material such as plastic or rubber which serves to prevent damage to these electrical components in the event of severe blows or shocks to which the device may be subjected.

The device has particularly utility inproviding a device which may be attached to the rear of an automotive vehicle to be sounded when the vehicle is backing up or when the vehicle is put into reverse gear. The device of the invention by reason of its weather and shock-resistance may be mounted without protection, outside the body of the vehicle and without any protective shielding.

OBJECTS It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved speaker enclosure.

Another object is to provide an improved combination enclosure for printed circuit board and loudspeaker.

Another object is to provide such an enclosure which is highly shock resistant and weather resistant.

Another object is to provide such an enclosure which may be provided with great economy.

Another object is such an assembly which for purposes of economy as to both parts and labor may be assembled without fasteners.

Another object is such a device wherein the electrical components within the enclosure are protected to a high degree from shocks which may be imposed upon them.

Another object is such a device wherein the electrical components therewithin may be mounted not only to resist large shocks but with a minimum of parts and a maximum of economy.

Further objects will become apparent from the drawings and from the following detailed description.

DRAWINGS In the description like reference numerals refer to like parts and:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken on lines 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are schematic fragmentary cross-' sectional views of steps in the assembly of the device.

DESCRIPTION In general the device which is provided in accordance with the invention is particularly and peculiarly highly adapted to be mounted at the rear of an automotive vehicle to provide anaudible warning to pedestrians who may be in the way of the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up. Many types of alarm devices may be suitable for this purpose but a loudspeaker has been found particularly suitable. In order to provide an audible signal of distinctive characteristics, for example, one which might be characterized as emitting a sound such as whoop, whoop, whoop, a printed circuit is associated with the loudspeaker in order to cause the loudspeaker to emit an audible signal having the desired repetitive distinctive characteristics.

In order to have reasonable service life it is necessary that the device be both highly shock resistant and highly weather resistant.

At the same time in order to provide such a device economically in connection with an automotive vehicle wherein great effort is devoted to reducing the cost of each part therein by the merest fraction of a cent, it is necessary from a practical point of view that the device be capable of being manufactured with great economy.

These objectives are accomplished by mounting the printed circuit board and loudspeaker in a single combination enclosure, providing means devoid of fasteners such as screws, bolts, rivets and the like for resiliently mountingthe electrical components within the enclosure and providing a minimum of parts and providing means for assemblying the enclosure without fasteners and with a very 'small amount of labor.

Accordingly, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the enclosure comprises base portion 1, horn portion 2 and loudspeaker container portion 3. Mounted within the enclosure, which is indicated generally as 4, are'loudspeaker 6 and printed circuit board 5.

Base portion 1 is attached to horn portion 2 at a joint which may be filled with sealant 10. Thus attached portions 1 and 2 provide an enclosed space 11 within which printed circuit board 5 is disposed. Resilient pads 12 and 13 of resilient foamed polymeric material such as rubber, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like, are disposed on each side of printed circuit board 5, pad 12 being interposed between board and wall 14 of base portion 1 and pad 13 being disposed between printed circuit board 5 and surface 15' of wall 40 of horn portion 2. Pads 12 and 13 are somewhat compressed to positively position board 5. Wires may extend from board 5 through aperture 21 in base portion 1 to a source of electrical current (not shown). Aperture 21 may be filled with sealant 22 surrounding wires 20. Wires 23 may connect printed circuit board I 5 to loudspeaker 6 and may extend through aperture 24 in horn portion 2 which may be filled with sealant 25 surrounding wires 23. Base portion 1 may be provided with groove 19 in its rear surface to receive wires 20.

Loudspeaker 6 may be retained within loudspeaker enclosure portion 3 by resilient retainer ring which may be received against shoulder 31 of portion 3. Gasket 32 which may be of rubber or the like may be provided between ring 30 and loudspeaker 6 for sealing purposes. Loudspeaker 6 may be of conventional construction and may comprise frame 34 having cup portion 35 within which is mounted permanent magnet 36. Attached to frame 34 there may be provided diaphragm 37 which may be of any suitable material but which is preferably of polyethylene terephthalate sold commercially as Mylar by Dupont de Nemours. Attached to diaphragm 37 there may be provided voice call 38 extending into cup 35 and surrounding magnet- A body 33 of resilient foamed material such as of rubber foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, or polyethylene foam is interposed between cup 35 and the interior of member 3 and is somewhat compressed therebetween to urge loudspeaker 6 against retainer ring 30.

Born portion 2 preferably comprises an outwardly extending substantially conical base wall 40 having apex 41 and a divergent wall 42 diverging outwardly from substantially the outer edge of wall 40. A plurality of members 43 extend inwardly from walls 40 and 42 and are provided with notches 44. Member 3 is provided with an annular outwardly extending portion 45 which is received in notches 44 so that loudspeaker 6 is disposed in horn portion 2 facing apex 41.

Horn portion 2 is preferably provided with an annular groove adjacent the outer edge of wall 40. Adjacent to annular groove 50 are preferably provided a plurality of projections 51. Member 1 is provided with a substantially cylindrical somewhat resilient wall 52 having an annular inwardly extending portion 53 adjacent the terminal edge thereof.

As shown in FIG. 3, wall 52 during assembly is somewhat slightly resiliently deformed and members 1 and 2 are forced together in the direction indicated by arrow 55 until member 53 interlocks with projections 51 and is seated in groove 50 as indicated in dashed lines at 53', 51' and 50'.

During assembly, member 3 is somewhat deformed as shown in FIG. 4 so that portion 45 slides past extending portions 46 of members 43 until it snaps into place into notches 44 as indicated in FIG. 4 in dashed lines at 45', member 3 being pushed in the'direction indicated by arrow 56.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the assembly of ring 30 together with portion 3 is accomplished by forcing ring 30 toward portion 3 in the direction indicated by arrow 57 so that ring 30 is resiliently deformed as indicated in full linea at 30, until ring 30 snaps into place as indicated in dashed lines at 30' with the outer edge of ring 30 being received on shoulder 31. A

Thus assembly is accomplished entirely by placing printed circuit board 5 and loudspeaker 6 and the associated resilient foam pads in appropriate locations and snapping the remaining parts together, no fasteners such as rivets, screws or the like being used at any place in the entire assembly. 7

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that equivalents may be utilized.

Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

It is claimed:

1. A combination loudspeaker and printed circuit board enclosure device comprising the combination of:

a horn portion having an aperture extending therethrough,

a base portion having an aperture extending therethrough,

a loudspeaker container portion,

a printed circuit board,

a loudspeaker comprising a speaker coil,

a resilient speaker retainer ring,

said loudspeaker connected with wires to said printed circuit board, said wires extending through said aperture in said horn portion,

wires extending from said printed circuit board to be connected to a source of electrical current,

said horn portion and base portion attached to each other to provide an enclosed space surrounded by walls provided by said horn and base portions,

said printed circuit board disposed in said enclosed space with said wires extending to said loudspeaker extending through said aperture in said horn portion and said wires extending to said source of electric current extending through said aperture in said .base portion, I

a first resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed on one side'of said printed circuit board and bearing against a wall of said enclosed space provided by said horn portion,

a second resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed on the other side of said printed circuit board and bearing against a wall of said enclosed space provided by said base portion,

said first and second resilient bodies of foamed material providing the sole means of mounting said printed circuit board in said enclosed space,

said loudspeaker retained in said loudspeaker container portion by said speaker retainer ring resiliently snapped into place against a retainer surface in said loudspeaker retainer portion,

' a third resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed between said loudspeaker and the interior of said loudspeaker container to act against said cup to urge said loudspeaker against said retainer ring,

said retainer ring and third resilient body of foamed material providing substantially the sole means of cupfor a magnet and mounting said loudspeaker within said loudspeaker container portion,

said base portion and said loudspeaker container portion each attached to said horn portion by resiliently deformable interlocking portions of said respective portions.

2. The device of claim 1 provided with sealant in said apertures and in the joint between said base portion and said horn portion.

3. The device of claim 1 provided with a rubber gascomprises a base wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall extending therefrom toward said horn portion to'a peripheral edge having an annular portion extending inwardly therefrom, said annular portion being resiliently interlocked to said horn portion to attach together said base and horn portions.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said horn portion comprises a divergent substantially conical sounddirecting wall and a substantially conical base wall having an apex extending outwardly, said divergent wall diverging outwardly substantially from the outer edge of said base wall, projections to receive said loudspeaker container portion extend inwardly from said divergent wall and said loudspeaker container is resiliently interlocked to said projections with said loudspeaker facing said apex.

7. The device of claim 6 provided with a rubber gasket between said loudspeaker and said retainer ring.

8. The device of claim 7 provided with sealant in said apertures and in the joint between said base portion and said horn portion. 

1. A combination loudspeaker and printed circuit board enclosure device comprising the combination of: a horn portion having an aperture extending therethrough, a base portion having an aperture extending therethrough, a loudspeaker container portion, a printed circuit board, a loudspeaker comprising a cup for a magnet and speaker coil, a resilient speaker retainer ring, said loudspeaker connected with wires to said printed circuit board, said wires extending through said aperture in said horn portion, wires extending from said printed circuit board to be connected to a source of electrical current, said horn portion and base portion attached to each other to provide an enclosed space surrounded by walls provided by said horn and base portions, said printed circuit board disposed in said enclosed space with said wires extending to said loudspeaker extending through said aperture in said horn portion and said wires extending to Said source of electric current extending through said aperture in said base portion, a first resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed on one side of said printed circuit board and bearing against a wall of said enclosed space provided by said horn portion, a second resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed on the other side of said printed circuit board and bearing against a wall of said enclosed space provided by said base portion, said first and second resilient bodies of foamed material providing the sole means of mounting said printed circuit board in said enclosed space, said loudspeaker retained in said loudspeaker container portion by said speaker retainer ring resiliently snapped into place against a retainer surface in said loudspeaker retainer portion, a third resilient body of foamed polymeric material disposed between said loudspeaker and the interior of said loudspeaker container to act against said cup to urge said loudspeaker against said retainer ring, said retainer ring and third resilient body of foamed material providing substantially the sole means of mounting said loudspeaker within said loudspeaker container portion, said base portion and said loudspeaker container portion each attached to said horn portion by resiliently deformable interlocking portions of said respective portions.
 2. The device of claim 1 provided with sealant in said apertures and in the joint between said base portion and said horn portion.
 3. The device of claim 1 provided with a rubber gasket between said loudspeaker and said retainer ring.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said horn portion comprises a divergent substantially conical sound-directing wall and a substantially conical base wall having an apex extending outwardly, said divergent wall diverging outwardly substantially from the outer edge of said base wall, projections to receive said loudspeaker container portion extend inwardly from said divergent wall and said loudspeaker container is resiliently interlocked to said projections with said loudspeaker facing said apex.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said base portion comprises a base wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall extending therefrom toward said horn portion to a peripheral edge having an annular portion extending inwardly therefrom, said annular portion being resiliently interlocked to said horn portion to attach together said base and horn portions.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein said horn portion comprises a divergent substantially conical sound-directing wall and a substantially conical base wall having an apex extending outwardly, said divergent wall diverging outwardly substantially from the outer edge of said base wall, projections to receive said loudspeaker container portion extend inwardly from said divergent wall and said loudspeaker container is resiliently interlocked to said projections with said loudspeaker facing said apex.
 7. The device of claim 6 provided with a rubber gasket between said loudspeaker and said retainer ring.
 8. The device of claim 7 provided with sealant in said apertures and in the joint between said base portion and said horn portion. 